I have been working on website accessibility for many years in my role as Production Manager at the UCSF Center for HIV Information. Despite that experience, I still encounter problems that confound me. I recently reached out to an accessibility expert for ideas on how to manage a particularly difficult compliance problem.

Three studies presented at the 2016 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) explored the pharmacokinetics of antiretrovirals administered during pregnancy. These studies support the use of standard-dose efavirenz, once-daily dolutegravir, and BID ritonavir-boosted darunavir during pregnancy.

Researchers at the 2016 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections presented results from a randomized double-blind, double-dummy switch study of TAF/FTC. Over 660 patients with virologic suppression on TDF/FTC-containing 3-drug regimens were either switched to TAF/FTC (200/10 mg with boosted PIs, 200/25 mg without boosters) or continued on TDF/FTC; the background third agents were not changed. At 48 weeks, 94.3% of TAF/FTC recipients and 93% of TDF/FTC recipients maintained HIV RNA suppression; the difference was not significant.

A pharmacokinetic study presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Boston in February evaluated concentrations of tenofovir (TFV) and TFV-diphosphate (DP) in genital and rectal tissue and in anogenital fluid samples after administration of oral tenofovir alafenamide (TAF). This is of interest because administration of TAF (25 mg orally) results in 90% lower plasma concentrations of the TFV and TFV-DP than TDF, and 7-fold higher levels of TFV in mononuclear cells.

I would like to start this new year introducing myself to the AIDS Education and Training Center (AETC) community. I had the pleasure of joining the AETC National Coordinating Resource Center (NCRC) as a Health Educator in December 2015. I look forward to using my skill set as a Certified Health Educator Specialist and seasoned patient navigator/linkage to care coordinator (LTCC) to provide a perspective based on direct interaction and delivery of care to clients from another standpoint in the healthcare team.

Our understanding of quality in healthcare—how we talk about it and how we measure it—has evolved over time. However, the goal has remained the same: improving the health of people living with HIV. This means constantly challenging ourselves to do better. In essence, do quality improvement (QI) better.

The prevailing opinion among experts regarding the optimal CD4 T-cell count at which to start patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) has shifted several times during the evolution of HIV treatment. These shifts reflect attempts to strike a balance between preventing HIV-associated illness and death and minimizing medication-related toxicity. Two large randomized controlled clinical trials, the START study and the TEMPRANO study, now demonstrate that earlier treatment with ART is most beneficial to boost immune recovery and prevent clinical events.

National Quality Center (NQC) has completed its evaluation of the in+care Campaign -- the largest HIV quality improvement initiative carried out at the national level. We are pleased to announce that the Campaign demonstrated significant improvements in national retention and viral load suppression (VLS) performance.

Annual meetings of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-sponsored Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV (EMCT) Stakeholders Group and the Expert Panel on Reproductive Health and Preconception Care for Persons Living with HIV, held at the Washington, D.C. headquarters of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) the week of May 25th, 2015, provided an exciting and energizing opportunity to discuss challenging clinical and policy issues.

When incorporating best practices and guidelines for HIV care, clinicians must take into account their clients’ mental health and substance use needs. Approximately 30- 50% of people living with HIV/AIDS have current or past severe to moderate depression. At its highest estimate, that’s more than double the prevalence of the general population.

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This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U1OHA28686 (AIDS Education and Training Centers National Coordinating Resource Center) awarded to the François-Xavier Bagnoud Center, Rutgers University School of Nursing. No percentage of this project was financed with non-governmental sources. This information or content and conclusions are those of the authors and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.